May 19, 2026  
BC3 Academic Catalog: 2026-2027 
    
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BC3 Academic Catalog: 2026-2027

Firearms Policy

Butler County Community College (the “College”) strives to maintain a safe and secure environment for members of the student body, faculty, staff, and general public so that they are not unreasonably impeded in their activities by concerns for personal safety. Butler County Community College has made it a policy to prohibit the possession or concealment of any firearms, explosives, or dangerous chemicals on College property. The College recognizes that certain exceptions to this prohibition are necessary. Accordingly, the following exemptions to the Firearms Policy of Butler County Community College are established as follows:

A. Butler County Community College recognizes the importance of the services provided by the local and state law enforcement agencies. The College also recognizes the authority of law enforcement entities to determine the need to arm officers. Accordingly, law enforcement personnel while on duty and acting in their official capacity are permitted to carry firearms as deemed necessary by their employer for the performance of their duties.

B. Members of the Butler County Community College Campus Police Department shall be permitted to carry firearms.

C. Butler County Community College is desirous of cooperating with various law enforcement groups in conducting classes and/or training sessions for such groups on the property owned or licensed for use by Butler County Community College. Accordingly, the possession of firearms on property owned or licensed for use by Butler County Community College will be permitted in the course of law enforcement classes and training sessions provided the following safeguards are met:

  1. The firearms in use shall be capped and locked or temporarily disabled by an alternate mutually acceptable method at all times during the classes.
  2. No live ammunition shall be permitted on the campus of Butler County Community College during training classes. Ammunition must be removed from weapons prior to transporting the disarmed weapon to campus.
  3. The use of blanks in lieu of live ammunition is prohibited.
  4. The law enforcement training sessions shall be restricted to the Public Safety Training Classrooms and property owned or licensed for use by Butler County Community College.
  5. The law enforcement training sessions conducted shall be restricted to qualified law enforcement entities with its participants being licensed to carry a firearm.
  6. Prior to conducting a training class, all participants will be required to sign an acknowledgement of his/her understanding of all rules and regulations of Butler County Community College.
  7. Adequate notice must be provided to the Administration of Butler County Community College so as to permit notice to the College Campus Police of the upcoming training session.
  8. Non-functional prototypes of firearms may be used in law enforcement training activities. Such training is subject to all of the provisions stated above.
  9. Police training devices (including but not limited to flash bang devices and narcotic training devices) are permitted to the extent they are used in conjunction with credit and noncredit course offerings at Butler County Community College.
  10. Live ammunition shall be permitted only when used at a College-approved Firing Range, operated under the safety protocols established by Law Enforcement, Military, or the NRA, effective January 14, 2013.
  11. According to the EMS & Police Training Standard Operating Procedures, Butler County Community College Campus Police Officers will store and transport ammunition from Main Campus to a College-approved firing range and return the same to Main Campus, effective January 14, 2013.
  12. All students participating in the Fire Arms Training Program both in the classroom at Butler County Community College and/or on the Firing Range located on 100 Litman Road, Butler, PA will be required to sign a Waiver of Release of All Claims Form recognizing and acknowledging that there are certain risks of personal injury in participating in the Fire Arms Training Program and voluntarily agree to assume the full risk of any accidental injuries sustained as a result of participating in the Fire Arms Training Program and waive, any and all claims against the College and such individuals, for personal injuries sustained arising out of, connected with, or in any way associated with participating in the Fire Arms Training Program both in the classroom at Butler County Community College and/or on the Firing Range located on 100 Litman Road, Butler, PA.

Violation of this policy shall be handled in accordance with the disciplinary procedures set forth in Butler County Community College’s policies.